Mechanism for bending metal ties



Jan. 7, 1941. H. A, BAUER l v 2,227,622

MECHANISM FOR BENDING METAL TIES H. A. BAUER 2,227,622

MECHANISM FOR BENDING METAL TIES Jan. 7, 1941.

Filed Dec. 3l, 1937 4 sheets-sheet 2 Jan. 7, 1941. H A, BAUER 2,227,622

MECHANISM FOR BENDING METAL TIES Filed nec. si, 1937 4 sheets-sheet s Jan. 7, 1941. H, A, BAUER l 2,227,622

' MECHANISM FOR BENDING METAL TIES Filed Dec. 51, 1937 4 sheets-sheet 4 Patented Jan. 7, 1941 UNITED STATES iATENT OFFICE Hans A. Bauer, Chicago, Ill., assigner to B. F.

Gump Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Iilinois Application December 3l, 1937, Serial No. 182,759

11 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanism for bending metal ties on paper bags and concerns itself with means for bending the projectingends of a tie against the body of the tie and fiattening the same before the neck of the bag is folded and sealed.

In the art of packaging cereals and the like, it is desirable to use a reclosable package in order that the package can be opened for removing a part of the contents and then closed again.

The present invention involves a unit for a bag closing machine designed to close and seal a filled bag having a metal ti-e with the ends of the metal tie bent back and substantially concealed in the fold, so that when the bag is opened for removing a part of its contents, the bent ends of the tie can be unfolded and used for reclosing the bag.

The present unit also embodies means for iiattening the folded ends of the tie against the body of the tie and initiating the folding operation.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel method and means for closing bags and the like. v

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple mechanism that may serve as a unit of a bag closing machine that is adapted for engaging and bending the projecting ends of the metal tie in superposed relation upon the body portion of the tie so that the same can be wrapped in the fold and substantially concealed.

The invention comprises the novel structure and combination of parts hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred form of this invention and in which similar reference numerals refer to similar features in the different views,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a metal tie bending mechanism involving this invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevational View of the mechanism showing a bag in operative relation thereto.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the unit.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken upon the line IV-IV of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken upon the line V-V of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken upon the line VI--VI of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows. t

Fig. 7 is a sectional and diagrammatic View illustrating the operation of the bending ngers. Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional View taken upon the line VIII- V111 of Fig. 1 with the gears omitted and the parts in different positions.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken upon the line IX-IX of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows with the gears omitted.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken upon the line `X--X of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows with the gears omitted.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper end of a bag illustrating the arrangement of the tie thereon, the tie being in unbent condition.

In referring now to the drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of this invention, there is shown a platform I for supporting the operating parts of the machine. Suitable bearing standards 2 rise from the platform. i for supporting a shaft 3 having cams l and 5 secured thereon. A casting or bracket 6 has its base portion supported upon the platform. This bracket 5 extends forwardly and then upwardly as indicated at 6a. for a purpose that will later appear.

A lever arm 'l is pivoted at one end upon 'shaft 8 which is supported by the bracket 6, and this lever arm` 'l is actuated through the instrumentalityof a power or lever arm la secured upon shaft 8 and operated by a cam 2l secured to shaft 3 between cams and 5. For this purpose the lever arm la carries a roller lc. The weight arm of the lever 'l is relatively wide as shown in Fig. 4 and carries a headlb at its forward end that extends transversely of the machine.

Stub shafts 9 (Fig. fl) are journalled in the ends of the head 'lb of the lever l, and flat fingers l) extend downwardly from the lower ends of the shafts 9. The shafts are spaced apart so that the rotation thereof will cause the fingers lll to fold the ends lla of ametal tie H secured upon the upper wall of a paper bag l2 as shown in Figs. 2 and 7. Upon the upper ends of the shafts 9 are secured gears i3, and between the gears I3 are mounted gears M secured upon shafts i5 extending from the head lb. The shaft l5 of one of the gears ifi is rigidly connected to an operating crank it. The other gear lli constitutes an idler gear. Upon the rotation of the gears i4, the gears i3 will be caused to rotate for bending or folding the ends of the metal tie il substantially 180.

The crank arm i5 is pivotally connected to one end of an operating link il. The other end of the link Il is pivotally connected to la lever arm I8 which is pivoted upon the rod 8 and which carries a tail piece Ia connected by a spring I9 with the lever 1. The lever arm I8 carries a roller 20 that engages the cam 5 which is provided with a hump or raised portion 5a. adapted for engaging roller 2|] and actuating link I 1 in a forward direction for rotating the gears I4 and I3 and the fingers Ill. 'Ihe spring I9 is adapted to withdraw the link |1 and its associated parts after each forward actuation thereof.

The filled bags with their neck portions partly collapsed are moved along a runway 22 (Fig. 2) to the present unit. In approaching this unit the lower part of the neck portion of the bag passes into a lower guideway formed by an anvil block 23 carried by the bracket 6 and a guide member 24 also carried by bracket 6. The upper part of such neck portion of the bag passes into a guideway formed by an angle member 25 on the head 1b of lever 1 and a plate 26 also carried by the lever 1.

The plate 26 has a length that is substantially equal to the width of the bag so that the ends of the metal tie will project beyond the ends of the plate whereby the ends of the metal tie can be folded about the ends of the plate 26 which serves as a lateral support therefor. The ends of the tie will be folded substantially 180.

It will be noted that the head 1b is bolted to the lever 1 by bolts 21, and that the plate 26 is clamped between the head 1b and the end of the lever. When the lever 1 is in its operative position, the parts occupy substantially the position lshown in Fig. 2, in which position the cam 5 if actuated will rotate the gears I4 and I3 which will cause the fingers I0 to fold the extended ends IIa. of the metal tie in superposed relation upon one side of the plate 26 as shown in Fig. 7. When this operation has been completed, the swell 2m of cam 2| will engage lever arm 1a for elevating lever 1 as shown in Fig. 8 and withdrawing plate 26 from the tie and providing proper space for the operation of the folding member 36.

In referring to Fig. 3 it will be observed that the bracket 6 has a pendant portion 6b in which a shaft 28 is journalled and supported. A gear segment 29 is secured upon this shaft'and this gear segment meshes with gear teeth 30 on the lower end of a lever 3| which is pivoted intermediate its ends upon a pivot stud 32 extending from the bracket 6. The upper end of the lever 3| is pivotally connected to a link 33 which extends adjacent the cam 4 where it is provided with a roller 34 in engagement with the cam 4. Adjacent the roller 34, there is pivoted to the link 33 an arm 35 that extends downwardly and that is pivoted to the shaft 8 for supporting the rear end of the link 33.

The folding member 36 is secured upon the shaft 28 as shown in Figs. 3 and 8 by means of spaced bearing 36a thereon. A metal shoe 31 provided with end flanges 36 (Fig. 5) pivoted to the ends of the folding member 36 covers the inner face of sald member. This shoe is pivoted so that it can swing as shown in Fig. 8 to prevent buckling of the neck of the bag top during the folding thereof. When the shaft 28 is actuated through cam 4, link 33, lever 3| and segment 29, the folding member 36 will swing to its dotted line position as shown in Fig. 8 for folding the neck portion of the bag against the anvil 23 and flattening the ends of the metal tie against the body portion thereof, and also initiating the folding operation which will b'e completed on the next or folding unit. A spring 39 (Fig. 1) connects the lever arm 3| with the bracket 6 for returning the folder 36 to its full line position.

It will be understood that during the operation of the machine, shaft 3 is driven by any suitable means for rotating the cams 4, 5 and 2| for actuating the different operating mechanisms described.

From the foregoing it will be evident that a simple mechanism has been provided for folding the projecting ends of metal ties or the like on paper bags, and which mechanism is adapted for use in a machine for closing and sealing filled paper bags in the event that a reclosable bag is desired.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an apparatus for bending the ends of a tie on a paper bag, means for supporting said bag, means for supporting a plate adjacent one side of said tie, a rotatable member engageable with each end of said tie, and means for simultaneously rotating said members for bending the ends of said tie in substantial flat-wise relation against said plate.

2. In an apparatus for folding the ends of a tie on a paper bag, a support for the bag, a pivoted lever, a plate shorter than said tie carried by said lever, means for moving said lever for positioning said plate adjacent one side of said tie, rotatable means carried by said lever for folding the ends of said tie over and against said plate and means for moving said lever for withdrawing said plate from its position adjacent said tie.

3. In a machine for bending the ends of a tie on a paper bag, a support for the bag, rotatable ngers for bending the ends of the tie through arcs of substantially 180, means for simultaneously actuating said fingers, means for moving said fingers away from the bag, a folding member and means for actuating said folding member after said lingers have been moved for flattening the ends of the tie against the body thereof.

4. In an apparatus for bending the ends of a metal tie on a paper bag, a support for the bag, a bracket, a lever arm pivotally supported upon said bracket, said lever arm having a head, rotatable fingers mounted upon said head, gearing connecting said fingers, a plate carried by said lever arm, means for lowering said arm and positioning said fingers upon one side of said metal tie and said plate upon the other side thereof, means for actuating said gearing when said lever arm is lowered for rotating said fingers for folding the ends of said tie through arcs of substantially 180.

5. In an apparatus for folding the ends of a tie at the open end of a bag, a support for retaining the tie against lateral movement in one direction with the ends of the tie free, means cooperating with said support for bending back the ends of the tie, means for withdrawing said support after the bending operation, an anvil, and means for bodily moving the tie in a lateral direction and pressing it against said anvil to iiatten the bent back ends against the body portion thereof.

6. In an apparatus for folding the ends of a tie at the open end. of a bag, a support for retaining the tie against lateral movement in one direction with the ends of the tie free, means cooperating with said support for bending back the ends of the tie, means for withdrawing said support after the bending operation, an anvil, and means for laterally deflecting the end margin of the bag and moving the tie into pressure engagement with said anvil to atten the bent back ends against the body thereof.

7. In an apparatus for folding the ends of a tie at the open end of a bag, a support for retaining the tie against lateral movement in one direction with the ends of the tie free, means cooperating with said support for bending back the ends of the tie, means for withdrawing said support after the bending operation, a folding member for folding the end portion of the bag, and means coacting with the folding member to press the bent back ends of the tie against the body thereof.

8. In a machine for bending the ends of a tie on a bag, a pair of spaced apart rotatably mounted'ngers, means for supporting said bag with the tie in an upstanding edgewise position and the ends of said tie respectively disposed ad- ,jacent said fingers, means for rotating said iin gers in opposite directions to bend the tie ends through arcs of substantially and means for moving the fingers away from said bag.

9. In an apparatus for folding the ends of a tie at the top portions of the open end of a bag, a support for retaining the tie against lateral movement in one direction with the ends of the tie free, means cooperating with said support for bending laterally the ends of the tie, means for withdrawing said support after the bending operation, a folding member for folding the top portions of the bag, and means coacting with the folding member to press the folded ends of the tie against the juxtaposed top portions of the bag to hold the same against the body of the tie strip.

10. In a bag closing apparatus, means for operatively supporting a filled bag having a fastening strip secured to one of a pair of opposed top portions adjacent its open end, means for pressing the top portions together, means for laterally bending the ends of the strip, and means for folding the top portions and pressing the laterally bent ends of the fastening strip against the juxtaposed top portions of the bag.

11. In apparatus for closing a bag prior to its being sealed, means for operatively supporting a filled bag having a fastening strip secured to the bag top adjacent the mouth of the bag, means for pressing together top portions of the bag containing said strip, means for laterally delecting the ends of the fastening strip, and means for thereafter folding the top portions along a line adjacent said strip and pressing the laterally deflected ends of the fastening strip against the juxtaposed portions of the bag to hold them against the strip body.

HANS A. BAUER. 

